1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cash register or similar proceeds processing apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A proceeds processing apparatus such as a cash register is usually installed in a store or similar facility and operated by an attendant or a clerk to enter data of article codes, amounts of money, etc. In response, the apparatus executes proceeds processing including summation of the amounts of money, receipt of money, issuance of a detailed account, and totalization. Proceeds processing apparatus applicable to a POS system is interconnected to a host data processing apparatus by a communications line to interchange transaction data with the latter. With this kind of proceeds processing apparatus, it is possible to debit a customer's account when a credit card is used or to settle accounts even when a debit card is used.
A prior art proceeds processing apparatus has a body which is composed of a keyboard and/or a scanner for entering data of article codes, amounts of money and so forth, a display for displaying article codes, amounts of money and so forth as well as operation guidances, a printer for printing out transaction data on a recording medium to issue a detailed account or receipt, and a card reader having a slot adapted for receiving a card to read data out of the card. An operation control unit controls such components of the apparatus to sum the amounts of money and settle the accounts. A communication control unit is interconnected to the operation control unit while a communication line is interconnected to the communication control unit, whereby the communication of the apparatus with a host computer is controlled.
A proceeds processing operation available with the above construction is as follows. When an attendant or a clerk starts up the apparatus by, for example, turning on the power switch of the apparatus, a guidance meant for the attendant appears on the display. Guided by the guidance, the attendant enters data indicative of amounts of money and other similar data on the keyboard or via the card reader. In response, the apparatus totalizes the inputted data and communicates with the host computer to execute proceeds processing. The contents of the proceeds processing are printed out on a recording medium by the printer to produce a detailed account in the form of a receipt or statement strip, for example.
A problem with the prior art proceeds processing apparatus is that usually a customer at a store, for example, cannot see the contents of a transaction processed by the apparatus until a statement issued after a sequence of proceeds processing has been handed to the customer. More specifically, a customer is not allowed to compare the contents of a transaction processed by the apparatus with those of the actual transaction until he receives a statement on which those contents are printed. Assume that the result of processing executed by the apparatus differs from the contents of the actual transaction due to the attendant's erroneous operations of the keys. Then, the customer in many cases cannot find the error until the customer receives a detailed account indicated on a statement. In such a case, the attendant has to cancel the entire proceeds processing executed by the apparatus and start inputting all the necessary data again.
A current trend in business transactions including shopping is toward the use of credit cards and cash cards in place of cash. The prior art proceeds processing apparatus allows proceeds processing in connection with such cards to be finished even without confirming the contents of a transaction of which the data was entered by an attendant. Actually, it often occurs that a customer does not notice incorrect processing executed by the apparatus until the store debits the customer's account later, for example.
As stated above, the prior art proceeds processing apparatus is not satisfactory in various aspects such as efficient processing, customer service, and mutual reliance between customers and facilities.
A proceeds processing apparatus which guarantees the issuance of a detailed account of a transaction is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 157995/1986. The apparatus disclosed in this Laid-Open Publication is constructed such that until a detailed account of a transaction has been issued and an exclusive operation for confirming the receipt thereof has been performed, processing associated with the next transaction cannot be done. This is successful in, for example, preventing a person from unjustly including data of a certain transaction in the processing of the subsequent transaction.